Through Ash and fire

Chapter 1 – Farewell Arborwatch Manor

A little mystic elf girl, only about seven years of age, with dark hair and eyes and a creamy, willowy complexion snuggled comfortably in the little crawl space under the loose upstairs floor board in her sister's room. As she bit in to it, the sweet roll, stolen from the kitchen tasted good.

xxx

Ten years later…

I haven't hidden here for years! I thought with shame, as I shifted silently in the soft rug of dust.

"Yzabel!" My father shouted, "Yzabel, you will marry Caenlin, and that's the end of it!"

Let me re-cap a little; I'm Yzabel Monyckah, I'm seven teen.

My father, Lorkin Monyckah, is a merchant, and for business reasons he has promised me to Caenlin a stocky twenty five year old wood elf, of Bruma, and owner of many taverns across Cyrodiil. I will not meet this man, for I find my self repulsed at the very thought of marrying a man for my father's business. One of my sisters is name Holley, is engaged to Harin Motierre, son of Lord Francois Motierre, who lives across Chorrol main square, the square that we live in.

"My darling," My mother called, "come out! Caenlin will be here in an hour!"

As her voice left the room above my head, I climbed out of my hiding place, only to meet the face of an angry Holley.

"I could sware I had told you before… DON'T GO IN MY ROOM!"

"I'm sorry," I said calmly, "but I desperately needed a place to hide."

"I forgive you, just go have your bath, you are ever so dusty!"

"Yes." I walked forlornly from her room, and in to my own, where a bath had been drawn up for me. The water felt hot, as I poured it over my head, I much preferred the cold, vast waters of a river or lake. There was a knock at the door, as I dried my body with a large luxurious towel.

"Come in," I said. To my surprise, there was Holley.

"I feel really bad for you" she began, "If you do try to get along with Caenlin, and if you still don't like him, I may have a plan. Come in to my room, when everyone else is asleep, I will have everything ready for you to go. You can climb down the myrtle tree outside my window, and go sleep at the Motierre's house, then, go where you will."

Tears of joy and love for my sister welled up in my eyes. All I could do was embrace her.

I put on my best silk dress, and braided my hair. By the time I was finished there was a knock on the front door, and in came Caenlin.

The dining hall was bright and clean. I entered, and all eyes turned to me.

"Yzabel," Said Caenlin, as he rose from his chair and came closer to me, "It is such a pleasure to make your acquaintance," He kissed my hand, I blushed a little.

To me, dinner tasted like saw-dust. My ears were full of Caenlin saying "my this," and, "I that." I think we all soon became a little tired of it. After dinner, he asked me to walk outside with him, I agreed.

Out side, there was a warm summer breeze, the sun was setting, and the clouds had turned a fiery pink. We strolled over to the great Chorrol oak, and sat on one of the benches under it.

"Yzabel, I love you!" Caenlin said, kneeling down on one knee.

"We only just met!" I cried, standing up, indignantly.

"You will marry me though," he said, slightly exasperatedly. Really, I felt sorry for him; being thrown in to the middle of my fight with my father was not his fault, and had I not been betrothed to him and we were just friends exchanging pleasantries, I may have liked him, but, I fear I could not marry him.

"No," I said quietly

"But your father…"

"I have no more to say," I tuned, and aimed for my home.

Caenlin stayed the night in one of the hotels in town.

At eleven o'clock that night, I heard my parent's bedroom door close. I knew all the servants had long since gone to bed, so I clambered out of mine; I had been fully dressed under the covers. I made for my sister's room.

"I thought you would never come!" she said, getting up from her armchair where she was reading, "take this," she handed me a pack, "here is a sword Harin gave me. His sister is expecting you, go!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" I said, as I crossed the room to the window.

"Write to me?" Holley asked.

"Definitely!" And just like that I was free of my old life, and about to start a new life of solitude.